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Show Ss |g 2 i i is zi US ” i De Lun ED A Tm M4 = UE i) gon 4 CZ | =) ms) N TU s So if? + f R: é { of Current Literature,; ee Vol go Sit NOi:23:. turn. At length she arose and groped her way to the door, and then along OUT IN THE COLD. the hall to hand gently upon her, “I will leave you now. “But,” he added, “I must have one look at your dear face without that “Lucille,” again SES to- Chicago Times. eS next moment her he said, his soft, musical you to myself for even a little while that I for- Ree And there’snever a home for her. / $§—<a>—Si ad i magn So nia. eS Sa Shane Je the waited so long to bave room. So she stands in the deep’ning darkness, And her tired and aching head Is throbbing with pain and the sad refrain Of her children’s cry for bread. And she sees the laughing maidens Ride past in their robes of fur, And the city is bright with its mansions night. Weekly. ] “prong and (0 List: OR : The Mystery of Clovermooi. BY Ivan. Lucille was alone “What did you forget?” she asked smiling up at him. “Hiverything,” he answered passion- darkened room for the first time in many that you were weeks. and she looked spect to the letter. George Elliot had ceased calling entirely, much to Miss disgust, and Lucille’s only visitor had been the professor, who called daily, and the old Doctor who came to assist in the treatment occasionally. But today she was entirely alone, her cousin having gone for along ride, and Miss Hubbard had seized the opportunity to go to the village on some errand ‘of her own, leaving her charge, as she supposed, in perfect safety. But if. Miss Hubbard had not been so wrapped up in her thoughts as she turned down the street leading to her brother’s cottage, she would have seen and recognized the bay horse in front of the village tavern, and the dark, handsome face her from the smiling triumphantly window—and have turned back. she at would But fate was against her for once, and she was net out of sight of the tavern before the bay horse was bearing his handsome rider swiftly ‘back to the Hall. In the meantime Lucille was beginning to find the time hanging heavier than ever on her hands, and to listen reand long even for Miss what you I take will,’ she am yours.” it off, answered;” I | moment, however, footsteps sounded in the hall, and Miss Hubbard and her brother, followed by the professor, entered the room. Eugene’s hand mine and mine only, Lucille, bound to Once there the professor removed the me by a solemn contract with the law bandage. Then going to the window, he which no power on earth can ever break, drew the heavy curtain partly away. In- to love, to cherish and so ever, and long as protect we forever both live. stantly Lucille hands over trembling. screamed her eyes, and and put then her sat “Aha!” eried the professor, replacing ‘the curtain, and claping his hands. smiling, and “Doctaire, ve sall be most happy to Then she looked: up at him said: “T hardly understand you yet, Kugene. Hubbard’s ing and his whole frame trem ling emotion. ‘Kiss me!” A moment she stood so, folded arms, lip to lip, then blushing, I say. But congratulations. done—she can see!” “Professor,” said the doctor gravely, advancing and taking his hand, “I have wronged you—forgive me.” “tell me.” cried Miss Jane throwing her arms around the trembling girl. “Do glad.” “Ah, madam,” oneal the professor, “she cannot understand it yet. Vait,and she sall soon be glad.” “And the other, professor?” asked the doctor. ‘“When?” “Ab, said the professor smiling, “you haf believ at last mon ami. Vell, zen, | “Tomorrow!” “Tomorrow, then, say just after lunch, professor calls, Lucille CHAPTER repeated softly. XIV. you: must, by some means, get Miss Jane | “Miss Hubbard,” said Lucille: presto take you out into the garden for a lit- ently, after the doctor and the professor had taken their departure, “vou must tle air. You can manage this?” “T will come,” she said with quiet de- tell Kugene.” “Tell Kugene what?” asked Miss Hubcision, and with an expression of gentle dignity upon her face that was new to bard sharply, on the defensive at once. “That I can—can see,” she replied. | her, and yet became her well. | “T shall do nothing of the kind,” re“Then you must make some excuse to get rid of her for a moment—only one torted the other. “Child, child, do you moment, Lucille—” “Why, Hugene?” “Dearest, do you soon?” “Doubt, Eugene? think of no one but Eugene? know it soon enough.” begin to gb “there is no one who cares so much for me as Eugene, and no one who has as good a right to know.” “Nonsense!” said Miss Hubbard. “Why do you say that?” “Because, I—I am going to be his wife.” “His wife!’*screamed Miss “Fis wife! HKugene’s wife!” “Yes, Miss Jane,” said Hubbard. Lucille quietly, on a windy day. “Yes,” replied Lucille, “I know it all, and I shall be his wife. No one can come between us then.” “You must not, shall not do this thing,” cried Miss Hubbard. “Who will prevent it?” asked Lucille, rising suddenly to her feet, and standing proud and defiant before her. “Oh, child! child!” said Miss Hubbard bursting into tears, as she whole situation. realized the “T am not a child, Miss Jane,” Baie Lucille again. “Iam awoman. I love him and I choose to be his wife. prevent it? Tell me.” For a moment silence Who- will reigned, broken by Miss Hubbard’s sobs. only Then raising her head, and shaking her clenched hand angrily~ at the SBE wall, she cried: “Oh, the villain! The ndasiine: sneaking, smooth tongued scoundrel! If I were only a man, I’d thrash him within an inch of his life!” “Are you speaking “Then set your mind at reeite ma hselte, and do not leave hei ior a single instant till tomorrow. AndI sO No,I do not doubt, He will “But he must know it now,” said Lucille. “Then you must inform him,” ones pledge word, XV. Miss Hubbard was easily persuaded to return to the Hall, whieh she did. She had no difficulty in making ‘her peace with Lucille, without any serious wound to her dignity. Meeting Eugene in the hallway, she told him thatthe professor purposed removing the bundage permanently from Lucille’s eyes une next day. “At what. time will the pee or call tomorrow?” he asked.“T do not know,” - replied .Miss..Hub-... bard. “In the afternoon, as usual, I suppose.” Thenext morning,H ugene mounted a horse and went away foraride. © . A few hours later the’ professor, ac- companied by Doctor Hubbard, arrived at the Hall. Lucille was in the drawing-room, from which the light was excluded almost entirely by ,heavy curtains which had been drawn across the windows. She was anxious and restless, and had asked- the time of Miss bard so often that that lady Hub- began to wonder., But she concluded that her manner wasonly the result of her,impatience to get through with the ordeal through whici she was to pass, Bade realize the result, “Now .Ma’mselle,’ said the eta: Miss to Luville, “I will remeve ze bandage, but you will keep ze eyes closed.” speaking of So saying he dextrously took the bandage from her eyes, which ,she had speak of him closed. 7 of Hugene, Hubbard?” asked Lucille. “Yes,” she replied, “I was Eugene, and-—” “Then, you must never flying, left the room without.a And half an hour later she way to the village. Arriving at her -brother’s word. was: on: her house she walked into the study where her brother pain in ze eyes?” “Good,” said the professor. ‘Now, ven I sall tell you, open your eyes and look at this vat I sall gif you, look at nosing else, but keep your eyes steadily fixed on this.” So saying he placed asmall, square: card in her hands, and stepped back to. the curtain which hung across the win- dow behind her. _ and the professor were chatting cosily “Now look, Ma’msello,” | he said, “at together, and sinking into a 5 ees burst what you haf in your hands and at nosinto tears again. : ing else.” “Ah, ma’mselle!” cried the. bite faakeir, Lucille did as she was*instructed, and springing to his feet, vat ees feet? Vat presently the professor asked: haf happen? Ze young lady-vat ees “Vat doyou see, Ma’mselle?” wrong?” ! “Nothing yet,” she answered, “but the ._“Come, come, Jane,” said hér brother, light’ and—yes—and something—I can“For God’s sake what is it? What is not tell what—ashape, I think.” wrong?” “Bravo!” cried the professer. “This “Oh, John!” said Miss Hubbard, checkees better than I haf expect. Continue ing her sobs, “Lucille is—is—® to gaze, Ma’mselle.” “What?” said the doctor, “what?” “Going to be married!” said* his sister with a fresh burst of weeping: “Rudge!” said her brother impatiently, The doctor and his sister, meanwhile, stood watching the scene with’bated breath as the professor began] gradually drawing the heavy curtain aside, inch by resuming his seat. And why should she inch, and the room “fgrew "gradually not marry?” lighter. | “But it’s the wrong man,” said Miss “Tell me ven it sall hurt your eyes, Hubbard. a “What man?” asked the doctor. | Ma’mzelle,” he said. : 2 my then, eet sall be with her eyes open.” CHAPTER know Hub- bard, her face pale and her voice tremblng with ill suppressed anger, while her short curls danced around her head like asp evil, zis marriage.” “Ob, it is not that,” said Miss Jane, with an arch glance at the professor. “If sne only knew what she was doing, and did it with her eyes open, I would not mind so much.” that “Are you crazy, child? Do you what you are saying?” asked Miss a quaking a common my sacred honaire, zat eef she sali do eet but with an expression on her face spoke volumes, “yes his wife.” the leaves of “Ah!” exclaimed the professor raising Lis eyebrows. ‘Vell, ma'mselle, let not such little smgs deestress you. Het ees with you will do it will little head, again. remain in your house another hour.” Lucille coldly bowed assent, and Miss Hubbard with her head up and curls “Lucille!” tomorrow.” before that prying ees you bear?” ; “Yes,” she answered quietly, “I hear.” “Why, child, ara you not glad?” in his} “No,” she answened. “I—T am not you not?” “Yes, she answered, Eet her Year “HKugene Bristow,” said his sister drying her eyes, as her anger began to rjse with “Tjucille,- it. would be a waste of precious time for me to explain to you the many reasons why you must do ex- as your Miss Hubbard p emcoely, “for I shall not.” “Why, Miss Jane?” “Because I think there are others who care more for you, and who have a bet- Per so again in my presense,nor in my “Do you feel any house, Misis Jane.” asked the professor. “Then,” said Miss: Hubbard, with an: “No,” she replied. indignant toss of her head, I shall not downeast eyes, she gently released herself and sank back int>thechair. Then, kneeling by her side, he said: | actly receive $2.25 “No, Miss Jane,” said Lucille, shaking laying his here— I only know I love you, and that my pale and thin; During all this time her | heart. would break if I should be parted cousin. had never been admitted to see from you now. But youare wise, Kugene. her except in the presence of the inexOnly teach me how, and I willbe your orable Miss Hubbard, who had followed wife.” her brother’s instructions in this re“Sweetheart!” he cried, his eyes glow- -Hubbard’s “Do May O, 1880. ter right to know.” expression crossed her face for a moment. XIII. Her eyes were bandaged, “And you will not fail?” “T will not fail, Eugene.” “Then,” he said rising and fell to his side, but he remained stand-|. ing near Lucille. “How did you know?” she asked again. “Good heavens!” cried Miss Hubbard “How dol know I love you? What in amazement. ‘What does this mean?” does it matter? Tell me how long it is “It means simple, my dear Miss Jane,” since I have seen you?” said Eugene caln.ly, that Lucille be “How long? Years and years, it seems. came tired and restless at your long Longer than all my life before, I think.” absence, and managed to find her way “And I, Lucille, I have not lived, I down here, where I discovered her when almost cursed the empty hours as tkey I returned.” passed. And you have suffered; J can} “But.ze bandage!” cried the professor see it. in-your face.” excitedly. £0 bandage Aaf not been re“Yes,” she answered, “I have suitored moved. Sr too. But it willsoon be ended, Eugene.” “No,” "plied Eneiis canal. “it bie “Soon!” he echoed. “Dearest, why not been removed. But—” not end it now?” “It would, perhaps, be best if Miss “How, Kugene?” sine asked. Jane would take you to your room at “Tucille, you say you loveme. Will once, Lucille. Remember!” you be my wife?” “Tomorrow,” she murmured. “Your wife?” she asked. “I do not Then, led by the crestfallen’ Miss Jane, understand. Tell me, Eugene.” she returned to her darkened room, fol: “To be my wife,” he said“ is to be lowed by the doctor and the professor. ately, “except ‘alone.”’ Dearest, will you be my wife?” in her “Yes,” she answered. At.that She shook her head, while a troubled | CHAPTER Can you do this, now?” voice tremulous with passion, “forgive hideous bandage. me if I frightened you. But.I have Lucille?” And the fatherly heart lay far apart In the graveyard on the hill. | Written for the Wosterh hall, cousin clasped her in his arms. And the mouths were many to fill, 2 ERR ALERT ate. 808 fortiatim si “But you must not wonder. Only trust me and do as I have said, and all the thin ¥ I only wondered—” In a vague affright at the falling night, _ As she worked in her dreary But the pay was very meager, ah found February will be well. She has sewed in the dawning sunrise, She has stitched in the gath’ring gloom, And~her eyes have grown dim and fingers gag Oba! finally Vtan: herself in her old seat by the window in the drawing-room, wondering at her own boldness. Then she, heard the trample of hoofs on the ground outside, a light tread in For the rent was not forthcoming, And how could the landlord wait; And what did he know of her want and woe As early she toiled and late? He couldn’t be losing his money— It’s only the way of the world!— And why should he care if she crouches there ’Mid the storm king’s wrath unfurled? mea the stairs, and City, for the Westin Household Be Turned out in the somber twilight, Out into the bitter cold, And the pitiless sleet as it sweeps the street Is piercing her garments old. And the babe on her breast is crying, And her little ones’ clust’ring ’round Are clutching her tattered gown. SEE. bake flirt and Rania sy ai aici (i ae Rilke aaa |